The true indusium ferns

• Athyrium felix-femina the lady fern

Blade>20 cm, oblong tapering at top and bottom. Petiole with basal scales. Arising from a rosette.

• Blechnum spicant the deer fern

leaves pinnately lobed with basal lobes greatly reduced, ear like. Arising from a root.

• Dryopteris expansa the wood fern

Blade>20 cm, broadly triangular. Compound at least twice. Petiole with basal scales.

• Polystichum the sword fern

Once pinnately compund, with leaflets having one prominent basal lobe. Often serrate leaflets,or with bristles.

• Pteridium aquilinum the bracken fern

At least twice pinnately compound, leaves emerging some distance from each other along a root, petiole lacks scales.

• Woodwardia fimbriata the chain fern

Leaves only once compound, with leaflets being lobed.

False indusium group

• Adiantum aleuticum the maidenhair fern

Uniquely forking organization, lacking a central rib. Petiole and axes black and shiny.

• Aspidotis densa the snake fern

Small glabrous finger like segments with folded up linear false indusia. Serpentine soil grower.

• Cheilanthes gracillima the lip fern

Rocky/xeric growe, with small rounded segments, often bearing hairs. Petioles fibrous.

No indusium group

• Pentagramma triangularis the goldback fern

Leaves palmate with upper side being green, under side being yellow/gold going brown with age. Yellow easily rubbing off.

• Polypodium calirhiza polypody

Leaves pinnately lobes, apple/grass green, not leathery. Veins forming loops along central axis. Stem slightly sweet to acrid tasting.

• P. glycyrrhiz the licorice fern

As above. Veins not forming loops along central axis. Stems intensely sweet, licorice flavor.

• P. scouleri

Leaf blade leathery, evergreen with glossy dark green surface. Horizontal stems glaucus.